Down Under | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: Bm A | Bm G A :||
Verse 1
||: Bm A | Bm G A :||
Traveling in a fried-out Kombi.
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie.
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous.
And she took me in and gave me breakfast, and she said:
Chorus 1
||: D A | Bm G A :||
Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder.
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.
Instrumental 1
||: Bm A | Bm G A :||
Verse 2
Buying bread from a man in Brussels.
He was six-foot-four and full of muscle.
I said, “Do you speak-a my language?”
And he just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich, and he said:
Chorus 2
I come from a land down under.
Where beer does flow and men chunder.
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover, yeah.
Instrumental 2
||: Bm A | Bm G A :|| x6
Verse 3
Lyin’ in a den in Bombay.
With a slack jaw, and not much to say.
I said to the man, “Are you trying to tempt me?
Because I come from the land of plenty”, and he said:
Chorus 3
Do you come from a land down under? (Oh, yeah, yeah).
Where women glow and men plunder.
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder? (Ah-ha).
You better run, you better take cover.
Chorus 4
(‘Cause we are) Living in a land down under.
Where women glow and men plunder.
(Can) Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder? (thunder)
You better run, you better take cover.
Chorus 5
Living in a land down under.
Where women glow and men plunder.
Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder? (Oh, yeah)
You better run, you better take cover.
Chorus 6
(We are) Living in a land down under (oh yea).
Where women glow and men plunder.
(Yeah, yeah) Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder? (Yeah, yeah, thunder).
You better run, you better take cover.
Chorus 7
Living in a land down under (Living in a land down under).
Where women glow and men plunder.
(Oh) Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover.
Down Under Chords: Master the Verse and Chorus Progressions
Built on the incredibly simple yet effective idea of resolving from IV – V (the second most common progression in popular music) to either VI or I, the verse chords of Down Under move like this:
||: Bm (VI) A (V) | Bm (VI) G (IV) A (V) :||
Whereas the chorus follows this progression:
||: D (I) A (V) | Bm (VI) G (IV) A (V) :||
This subtle shift—resolving to Bm in the verse and D in the chorus—creates a striking contrast. The verse feels reflective, while the chorus soars triumphantly, a change mirrored in the lyrics.
Perhaps most importantly, the song’s playful humour is key to its success.
Without that fun-loving, cheeky energy (helped by the flute!), Down Under wouldn’t have had the same lasting appeal. Its charm lies in the fact that it’s simply fun.
Writing a memorable, upbeat song is no easy task, and Down Under stands as one of the best examples of how to do it well.
To play this on a single guitar, we need to blend the bass line with chords while leaving enough space to maintain the groove.
I’ve designed some TAB for this, and for extra fun, I’ve also included that intricate flute melody!
Here’s a link to that part of the lesson: Down Under – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve worked through the various TAB sections, having a simple chord chart can be handy for gigs. Here’s one I made for you.
Down Under Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Down Under Chord Chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Down Under iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Down Under – Australia’s Signature Song
Australian band Men At Work formed in 1979 in their native Melbourne, evolving from an acoustic duo into a full band—uniquely featuring a saxophonist who also played the flute.
The flute proved to be a masterstroke, giving their biggest hit its unmistakable sound.
Starting on the pub circuit, they quickly became one of Australia’s most popular bands and soon signed with CBS. Their debut album, Business As Usual, was released in 1981.
Down Under was the second single from the album. It reached #1, as did the album itself—a first for an Australian act in the U.S.
Although the band released several more successful singles, none matched the impact of Down Under, which gained worldwide recognition over the following years.
By 1984, internal conflicts took their toll, leading to the band’s split and a solo career for lead singer Colin Hay.
Despite Down Under being their defining hit, Men At Work were far from a one-hit-wonder. Their new wave-inspired pop sound placed them alongside early ‘80s bands such as The Police, New Order, Culture Club, Martha and the Muffins, and The Cure. Less punk-driven than some of their contemporaries, they still managed to sell 30 million albums.
Take a closer look at the seemingly simple chords and lyrics to see how this worldwide smash hit was put together.
Down Under Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Down Under (Men At Work) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy: